Walt Disney knew that at the heart of every animated film is a well-told story. Join us on this School Experience as we investigate the basics of narrative structure, establishing interesting and dynamic plots, and creating internal and external challenges that can impact a character’s journey
The Ink and Paint Department was an invaluable part of the animation process, especially with the addition of color to animated films. In this School Experience, students will learn about the relationship between colors, and how color theory utilizes both art and science in color mixing to achieve a
When creating theme parks, designers and architects apply their creative minds and technical ingenuity to design ambitious and timeless projects. Students will plan their own innovative theme parks using creative thinking, problem solving, and teamwork. They will work together to create their theme
Create fun and unique art pieces with a painting technique involving small dots, patterns, and colored paints. Students will learn about impressionism and gain a basic understanding of color filling, shading, and tints to create a cohesive art piece.
How we travel around the world—in trains, cars, planes, and rockets—has evolved exponentially over the past century as new innovations have been developed. Join us as we explore various modes of transportation, and use colors and shapes to create and design our own scenes with two-dimensional trains
Walt Disney was a storyteller whose characters captivated audiences through their unique personalities and distinct designs. In this virtual School Experience, students gain an understanding of the fundamentals of character design. Learn more about the creative process and how to create unique and
Background design is an important part of the storytelling process as it helps give context to the narrative by showing the world in which the characters live. Although not the main focus, backgrounds can amplify and fully immerse a viewer. In this virtual School Experience, we will discuss industry
The Walt Disney Studios pioneered storyboarding—an innovative way of depicting an artist’s vision of the film’s story. Join us in this virtual School Experience as we delve into timing, camera angles and shots, and how to plan out a visual project in a sequential form. Students will then take on the
As employees of The Walt Disney Family Museum, we strive to achieve and perpetuate the values that Walt held important in his work and his life. We believe that to achieve the level of quality associated with Walt Disney, each person, as an individual and as part of a cohesive team, contributes toward delivering a quality experience to every visitor to The Walt Disney Family Museum.
In celebration of the premiere of Muppets Haunted Mansion on Disney+, join Muppet Performers Dave Goelz and Bill Barretta—the hands and voices behind The Great Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn—as they share insight into their experiences working with Jim Henson and the Muppets, discuss their favorite
Virtual Fundraiser event proceeds support The Walt Disney Family Museum’s education programs, which provide arts and animation instruction to the next generation of creative talent. Proceeds also support the museum’s initiatives to provide scholastic opportunities to under-resourced young people, including its newest initiative, the At-Promise Youth Animation Academy, an intensive animation-focused jobs-training program for high school students experiencing economic and social disadvantages.
For more information on the At-Promise Youth Animation Academy, see our September 2021 Update.
In the past several years, The Walt Disney Family Museum has significantly increased its commitment to providing art and animation instruction, with a focused emphasis on serving underrepresented communities. In addition to offering on-site and virtual classes, workshops, and school experiences, our animation instructors also travel to our Title I partner schools to teach the students on campus.
This year, as a part of our At-Promise Youth Animation Academy initiative, the Museum is thrilled to be launching an Animation Academy Certificate Program at Eastside High School, a school in East Palo Alto, California that is dedicated to providing opportunities for students historically underrepresented in higher education. This year-long program consists of two weekly sessions—a day of instruction on Saturday and an additional after-school session—and provides the students with state-of-the-art training in the principles of animation. All costs for the program—including equipment and materials—are made possible by generous donor support.
Building on Walt Disney’s legacy of fostering the next generation of creative talent, as well as the Museum’s own commitment to underserved individuals and communities, the Academy’s mission is to provide a nurturing, creative environment in which the students receive comprehensive training in art, animation, and storytelling. Our plan is to expand the reach of the program, with the long-term goal of diversifying the employee ranks in the animation and film industries.
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For more information, please contact Emily Vann at evann@wdfmuseum.org
Join us as we take a look at how performers execute daring moves in classic live-action and animated films. Then through 2D hand-drawn animation, animate a character courageously leaping out of a window.
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Animators often start their journey with a piece of paper, a pencil, and their own imagination. We will explore the traditional practices and principles of hand-drawn animation. With a few simple techniques, students will bring their drawings to life in the same way that animators in the 1930s did.
Discover how Walt Disney encouraged his staff to experiment with special effects technology to make animation more compelling and realistic, and how the resulting advancements inspired the industry as a whole. Students will experiment with a miniature multiplane set up—focusing on design elements
Discover how 18th century automatons led to the creation of wind-up toys, the development of Audio-Animatronics® technology, and the evolution of today’s advanced robotics. Students will observe the mechanics of a simple automaton and create their own through trial and error.
Before the use of cels, paper cut-out figures were a common form of animation. Join us as we create paper creations with simple shapes and designs using construction paper and glue, then animate our creations to make our own silent stop-motion short films.
When a young Dina Babbitt—then Dina Gottliebová—arrived at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II, she was petrified but determined to protect herself and her mother from the wrath of the Nazis. She used her artistic talents to paint a mural of one of her favorite films, Snow White and